Celebrated Highlife musician, Akosua Agyapoong, has urged industry players to promote and sustain the growth of Ghanaian Highlife locally and on global stages.
She said Highlife music remains the foundation of other music genres in the country, and should be preserved for present and future generations.
“Let’s play Highlife music on radio, in our cars…wherever we go, we have to encourage our youth to enjoy it…Highlife will never die so let’s help promote highlife,” she stated.
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The celebrated songstress was speaking at the launch of “Highlife Music at 100” in Accra at the Department of Music, University of Ghana.
The year-long commemoration themed “Highlife Unlimited – A Centenary of Celebration of Ghanaian Popular Music,” is expected to climax on September 21, 2026.
A series of activities including roundtable discussions, public lecture, music concerts, workshops, theatre productions, and a high school highlife competition have been lined up.
The initiative is in partnership with the Department of Music and Theatre Arts, Group d’Action pour le Development Communautaire (GADEC) and the Institute of African Studies.
It aims to reflect the evolution, cultural impact and global influence of highlife music, while celebrating past and present artistes and personalities who have contributed to the development of the genre in the country.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Amakye Boateng, Head of Department of Music, UG, described Highlife as “the heartbeat of the nation’s cultural identity.”
“It is the soundtrack that carried our grandparents through independence, gave rhythm to our collective aspirations and continues to inspire new generations across Africa and the Diaspora,” he noted.
Touching on the evolution of Highlife until the emergence of genres such as Afrobeats, Hiplife, and other variations, he said the celebration would help “renew, preserve, promote, and reimagine highlife for the next century.”
“Our task is not only to celebrate its past but to nurture its future through research, documentation, performance, and education that ensure this heritage continues to thrive in classrooms, concert halls, and global stages,” he stated.
“Let this centenary year remind us that Highlife is a mirror of who we are; resilient, joyful, and creative… It tells our stories, carries our hopes, and unites our people across generations,” Dr Boateng added.
Professor Edmund John Collins, UK-born guitarist and ethnomusicologist, traced the different forms of Highlife music including Brass Band Highlife, Palmwine music, and Guitar Band Highlife, which all became the foundation of Ghana’s post-independence popular music.
He acknowledged the contribution of personalities including Ghana’s First President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who contributed to establishing Highlife as a symbol of national pride.
Prof Collins stressed the importance of celebrating the origins of Ghanaian Highlife and the enduring impact of its pioneers, and commended contemporary artistes who continue to draw inspiration from Highlife rhythms.
As part of celebrating authentic Ghanaian music, Nkyinkyim Band together with other top local talents will stage the musical concert dubbed “Nkyinkyim X’perience” at the National Theater on November 14, 2025, at 8pm prompt.
GNA
